Newtown Rugby Club will thank its band of volunteers next month.

The Recreation Ground club will be holding a special volunteers day on Saturday, September 4 to thank its faithful followers for their support during 17 months of lockdown.

The event is open to supporters to attend from 12pm with pork and beef baps served from 12.30-1.30pm followed by free entry to the afternoon’s game, including partners and children.

Newtown will tale on old rivals Welshpool while their development side will also be entertaining their old A483 rivals

A club spokesman said: “We hope to fill the clubhouse with as many volunteers, sponsors, players, ladies team, parents, members and supporters as we can.

“We are catering for up to 150 people so please arrive early to avoid disappointment.”

The club has been far from idle during the enforced break from competition.

James Holloway has taken over as chairman and revamped the coaching structure within the club.

The club now has a ‘one club’ and joined up approach to the rugby side and will hopefully lead to a more exciting brand of rugby for the fans to watch on game day.

The club has also changed the badge and will soon be launching a brand new kit for the whole club as the mid Wales club look to rebuild following 17 lost months of competition.

A club spokesman said: “We also want to engage with the community much more and will be taking on a number of fundraising activities during the year, along with promoting a number of events during the season -the first of which is a volunteers day on September 4.”

Meanwhile the club has continued to step up its preparations for the return of league rugby with matches in the revamped WRU Plate and development team fixtures against other sides in the region.

On Friday the town development side beat Bala 16-5 with a try from Tom Woodward, converted by Gareth Williams who also kicked three penalties.